Paper Cranes
by Lisztian Dragon
Summary: Monica and Chandler have all they could've possibly dreamed of - a nice home, two children, best friends and love. But what happens when lightning strikes? Please R&R!
1. Shadows

_A/N: It's me again. With another story – Mondler centric with a little bit of R&R and P&M and Joey popping up now and then. It's a little bit AU since Chandler and Monica have biological kids but other that – nothing else has been changed from canon. Please don't let that deter you from reading!_

_It's going to be different than all the other stories I am in the process of writing. I won't give anything else away – but I will mention that this is probably the most serious thing I've posted up so far. _

_As usual, reviews are greatly appreciated._

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><p><strong>Paper Cranes<strong>

**Chapter One – Shadows**

"Daddy!"

Chandler Bing wearily opened the front door, after a hard day's work at the advertisement agency that he had been working at for the past decade. He was immediately pounced on by two blurs – his twelve year old daughter, and his seven year old son.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Chandler swept both of his offspring in a hug – the traditional greeting ritual that had been established many years ago.

His daughter broke apart from the hug. "You should see what we got rigged up in my room!"

"Yeah!" his son Dan chimed in.

Chandler allowed his children to drag him up the stairs and into his daughter Serena's room. Her room was in tidy order – as befitted a room in Monica's house. It wasn't a typical girl's room, however. Birds were everywhere. Serena had the hugest obsession with her fellow flying creatures ever since she was born. There were scientific posters of birds, models of birds, stuffed animals in the form of every bird you could possibly name and even bird bed-sheets that matched the green bird-adorned curtains.

What was new today in her room was that Serena and Dan had set up an elaborate structure made out of Dan's wooden blocks. On top of the wooden blocks, there were several stuffed animals that were not birds.

"What's this?" Chandler looked at his children inquiringly.

"Watch this!"

Serena pulled out a Y-shaped piece of wood which Chandler could see was a large slingshot. Dan pulled out one of the stuffed Angry Birds toys and handed one to his sister. She pulled back the slingshot and launched her stuffed animal into the blocks. The tower collapsed.

"Don't let your mom see this; she's going to have a fit!" Chandler whispered in his daughter's ear.

"Oh we will clean up, afterwards. Isn't this just like the game you showed me a few days ago?" Serena asked her father.

"Pretty creative guys, but where did you get the slingshot?" Chandler looked at his children sternly.

"We made it!" Dan cried out.

Chandler smiled fondly at both his children. Serena was tall for age, jet black hair – with a mix of both him and Monica. Dan, their second miracle child was sandy-haired, but looked more like Monica.

"There you are! Chandler, don't you ever say hi to your wife anymore when you come home?" Monica teased when she entered Serena's room.

"Sorry honey, I got kidnapped by those marauders right here," Chandler went over to hug and kiss his wife.

"I see, Serena, Daniel – you better clean that mess up!" Monica told both her children after she broke apart from her husband, "And then come down to dinner."

"Kay, mom!" Serena and Dan bent down and started cleaning up the mess in her room.

Monica led her husband out of the room and downstairs to the kitchen, where she had dinner set out.

"Ross, Rachel and Emma are not coming today?" Chandler inquired his wife as he sat down on one of the chairs.

"Nope, Emma's got a doctor's appointment this evening, actually," Monica replied to her husband.

"Is she sick?"

"Yeah, flu-like symptoms," Monica sat herself down beside her husband.

"Well, it is flu season, after all," Chandler remarked.

"We are done cleaning!"

The voices of Serena and Dan could be heard from upstairs – followed by the patter of feet down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Let's eat then," Monica said as soon as Serena and Dan had found a seat at the table.

They all tucked in – it was delicious like usual. Halfway through the meal Chandler noticed his daughter playing around with the food on her plate.

"Not hungry, Serena?" He looked at his daughter with a little bit of concern.

"Not really," she replied while rolling a pea pod around her plate with her fork.

"Are you feeling well?" Monica asked her daughter with concern.

"Just not hungry," Serena sighed.

"Okay, then just eat as much as you can," Chandler replied.

"Alright, daddy," Serena picked up her fork half-heartedly and took small bites.

After dinner, Chandler helped Monica wash the dishes – like he did every day. His children ran back upstairs to do their respective things.

"They are all growing up. Serena, Daniel, Emma, Zack and Kara," Chandler remarked to his wife over the dishes. Zack and Kara were Phoebe and Mike's two children.

"Yeah, I still remember the day when you were freaking about looking after babies," Monica grinned.

"And now we have two," Chandler dried the plate with a washcloth.

"Yup, how fast time flies. It's amazing how I have everything that I could have ever wanted," Monica sighed.

"What is everything that you've ever wanted?" Chandler asked his wife.

"A big house in the suburbs close to our friends, two awesome kids, being head-chef at Javu..." Monica started to list.

"And?" Chandler looked at her expectantly.

"And the man that can put up with me!" Monica grinned cheekily.

"That's a full time job, mind you," Chandler quipped.

Monica gently hit him on the shoulder.

"Hey!" Chandler yelped, "I should file for spousal abuse!"

Monica merely smiled sweetly at him.

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><p>"Serena, you should probably go to bed now. You have school tomorrow," Chandler reminded his daughter for the umpteenth time that night.<p>

"Daddy, did you know that birds evolved from dinosaurs?" Serena disregarded her father's previous statement.

"Really, who told you that?" Chandler looked at his daughter in amusement.

"Uncle Ross! He showed me all the fossils! Something to do with natural selection or something," she replied excitedly, "I can show you!"

Chandler sighed as he looked at his exuberant daughter, who was now combing her bookshelf for a particular book that Ross had given her. She came back with a rather thick book and flipped through the pages until she came to a page with various dinosaur fossils. Chandler leaned over to get a closer look and saw a series of dinosaur fossils that did in fact look more bird-like with each panel.

"See, they even had feathers!" Serena pointed to a picture showing imprints of feathers.

"Very nice," Chandler observed, "Do you know what colour were they?"

"Nope, no one knows, Daddy," Serena sighed before closing her book.

"Maybe one day, you can find out," Chandler placed his arm affectionately around his daughter.

"Maybe, but I like learning about living birds better!" Serena exclaimed, "Can I have a birdie of my own, someday?"

"Sure, if you can convince your mother. I don't think something that sheds feathers and leaves poo in a cage is something that your mommy would like," Chandler replied, "Off to bed now."

"Kay. Good night, Daddy!" Serena obediently crawled beneath her green sheets and snuggled under them.

"Good night to you too, see you tomorrow," Chandler watched his daughter for a moment before tucking the blankets around her more tightly and planted a kiss on her forehead. He then closed the lights and shut the door, quietly.

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><p>When Chandler returned home the next day, he was only greeted by his son at the door. He picked up Daniel and swung him around in a circle before inquiring.<p>

"Where's your sister, Dan?"

"She's got the fever. Mommy won't let her out of bed," Daniel replied.

"Honey!" Chandler called out for Monica. A few seconds later, Chandler saw Monica descending the steps of the staircase.

"Chandler! Serena's got the fever!" Monica exclaimed.

Chandler looked worried. "How high?"

"One-hundred and two, she started burning up about an hour ago," Monica replied rather quietly.

"It's probably the flu," Chandler sighed, "She probably caught what Emma caught."

"I hope so," Monica replied, "But it just seems so odd – she doesn't have any other problems."

"Maybe they will come later," Chandler answered, "She's hasn't been sick in years!"

"That's true," Monica gave her husband a small smile.

"Is she awake?"

"Yeah, she's probably waiting for you. I have to start dinner," Monica gave her husband a quick peck before heading off to the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"Serena, I am home," Chandler sat beside his daughter's still-form on the bed.<p>

"Daddy," she whispered weakly.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah, mom gave me the Advil. I feel a lot better now," she replied, still huddled in her bunched up blankets.

"So what did you do at school today?" Chandler inquired.

"We built a snowman today – but it's kinda weird that Emma wasn't there." Serena replied.

Emma and Serena were best of friends – Emma being almost a year older than Serena. They went to the same school and did practically everything together.

"I also learned how to reduce fractions, how to tell between different kinds of trees and how to make a paper crane today too." Serena continued.

"A paper crane?" Chandler looked surprised.

"Yeah, my friend who is Japanese showed me how."

"You could teach me, when you get better," Chandler smiled.

"Yeah, I could," Serena grinned, "I wish I could get out of bed."

"Well, soon you can. Rest now," Chandler brushed a stray hair aside from his daughter's face before heading back downstairs.


	2. Rumbling

_A/N: The plot thickens with this second chapter. I am probably going to work on Sunday's installment of The Amazing Race right now, but I may get another chapter up during the weekend or sometime before. _

_Thanks guys for your reviews. :D  
><em>

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><p><strong>Paper Cranes<strong>

**Chapter Two – Rumbling**

Emma and Serena sat in the backyard – clad in their warm thick winter jackets, and snow-pants. Serena had a green wool hat, while Emma's blonde locks were exposed to the cold winter air.

A bird's trill echoed through the otherwise quiet backyard.

"Did'ya hear that?" Serena asked her best friend.

Emma nodded. "Yeah, it's a bird."

"It's the sound of the chickadee!" Serena exclaimed.

"Cool, it even calls out its own name." Emma remarked after listening to the bird call again.

"Yeah!" Serena grinned.

A cold gust of wind blew through the yard.

"You wanna head back inside? It's getting kinda cold," Emma started to get up and head towards the backdoor.

"I guess so," Serena followed her friend back inside the house.

Once inside, they stripped out of their winter gear and headed towards the living room – where a cheerful fire had been lit earlier by Serena's father. Daniel had a pile of Lego blocks in the middle of the room, where he was currently absorbed in building a tower.

"Do you guys want hot chocolate?" Monica walked into the living room with a feather duster in her hands.

"Yeah!" Daniel put down his blocks and ran towards his mom, engulfing her in a hug.

"Yes please, " Emma and Serena replied after Daniel.

"Alright then, I will be back," Monica gently removed her son's arms from around her waist and headed back into the kitchen.

She sighed, while removing the mugs and chocolate powder to make the winter treat – Serena hadn't been the same after that fever a month ago. Sure, the fever vanished without a trace the very next day, but left Serena lethargic and easily fatigued. She and Chandler had hoped that their only daughter would soon regain her strength, but she never did.

As she mixed the powder with hot water, she thought about how odd was that Serena never fought against her bedtime anymore. She used to drive her and Chandler crazy with all her diversion tactics.

Even though there was nothing clearly wrong with her daughter, Monica couldn't shake off an uneasy feeling that something was wrong. She just didn't know what. Every pediatrician she had consulted within the past month had merely told her it was the flu, or a virus – and that Serena would be back to her own enthusiastic self again.

She carefully poured her mixture into three colourful mugs, and finally added a few marshmallows to each. She placed the mugs on the platter and headed back out to the living room, where Serena and Emma were engaged in a conversation about school gossip and her son had turned his tower into a bridge.

Monica fervently hoped that there was truly nothing wrong with her daughter, and that her unease was caused by her tendency to over-worry.

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><p>"You know, it's kind of unusual that Serena hasn't fully recovered from her bout of the flu," Ross remarked to Chandler over the dinner table.<p>

"Yeah, we are starting to get really worried," Chandler looked at his brother-in-law with a concerned expression.

The Gellers came over to Monica and Chandler's for dinner at least twice or thrice a week, seeing that they lived only a five minute drive away. Dinner had been served, everyone had eaten, and Monica and Rachel were washing the dishes at the sink.

"It's a good chance that it's probably nothing, but it could mean something more serious," Ross replied thoughtfully.

"You think? Monica's been worried sick for the entire month!" Chandler exclaimed.

"If I were you, I suggest you take Serena to the hospital – and not to the pediatrician," Ross suggested.

"And we show up at the emergency room – our emergency being that our daughter is always tired?" Chandler replied a little sarcastically and a little bit out of frustration.

Ross sighed and admitted. "You've got a point there."

"But hypothetically speaking, if there's something wrong with her, what could it be?" Chandler looked at Ross inquisitively.

"It could be –" Ross began to say.

But he was interrupted when Daniel and Emma charged into the kitchen.

"Daddy, Mommy! Serena can't get up!" Daniel cried out.

Emma added, "She said she can't feel her legs!"

Monica and Chandler shared a despairing look before running out of the kitchen and up the stairs – their minds only on their daughter.

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><p>"Serena, honey, are you okay?" Chandler reached his daughter first.<p>

Serena was sitting on the floor, supported by her arms. The look of fear on her face almost broke Chandler's heart.

"I can't get up. I feel nothing in my legs," she replied quietly.

Monica rushed into the room. "Could you help her up, Chandler?"

Chandler wordlessly walked over to his daughter and lifted her up, so she could stand on her feet.

"Don't let go, I am going to fall," Serena clung on to her father's torso.

"We are going to the hospital," Monica said firmly after a few seconds, but Chandler could see his wife's true emotions of fright and worry in her eyes.

By that time, Ross, Rachel, Emma and Daniel had arrived at the scene as well.

"We are going to the hospital; can you guys look after Daniel for tonight?" Chandler practically stuttered through his words.

Ross nodded, understandingly. "Yeah, sure – Dan can stay with us for tonight."

"Rachel, could you get some of Daniel's things; I am going to get changed." Monica ran off to her bedroom.

Rachel nodded, before reaching for Daniel's hand, but he had one last question for his father.

"Is Serena going to be okay?"

"I don't know, Dan, I don't know," Chandler looked sadly at his son before turning his head towards his shaking daughter in his arms.

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><p>"This doesn't feel real at all," Chandler remarked to his wife in one of the numerous waiting areas in the hospital. The room was painted a sickeningly cheery orange colour, with colourful pictures of various flowers scattered throughout.<p>

"I know, you read about other people going through this, but it doesn't seem real," Monica looked at her husband knowingly, "Do you think she will okay?"

Chandler sighed; his eyes had been fixated at the word "Oncology" printed on the door for the past hour or so that they had been waiting. He knew what it meant, but he knew it wasn't over until the fat lady had sung – or in this case, the oncologist.

"At this point, I don't even know what to think," Chandler whispered hoarsely to his wife.

Monica shot Chandler a look of dismay, "Serena is our only daughter – the little girl they said we could never have. She has to be -"

At this point, Monica broke down, and Chandler wrapped his arms comfortingly around his wife in an attempt to soothe her distress.

"She will be okay," He whispered determinedly in her ear, "She has to be."

The door that Chandler had been staring at intensively for the past hour swung open, and a receptionist called out, "Mr. and Mrs. Bing!"

Chandler helped Monica up to her feet and they walked as bravely as they could, through the door. The oncologist, Dr. Fleisher, as both Chandler and Monica had deduced from the brass plate on her door sat calmly behind her desk. They sat down in the hard-wooden chairs provided. Dr. Fleisher looked at them for a moment before she finally spoke. Her words made them both numb.

"Your daughter has neuroblastoma."


	3. Gloomy Skies

_A/N: It was kind of inevitable that I would write something like this. I spent a good chunk of my middle/high school years reading about everything I could get on cancer, genetic diseases and other medical curiosities that I could get my hands on. Heck, I am studying cell-biology as my undergrad degree right now. XD _

_I am actually reading a book about the Secret Service right now. It's terribly fascinating. _

_Thanks for the reviews guys! You all totally rock! Keep it coming, please!_

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><p><strong>Paper Cranes<strong>

**Chapter 3 – Gloomy Skies**

A silence filled the room – as Monica and Chandler took a few seconds to digest what Dr. Fleisher had just said.

"Neuro-what?" Chandler was never one for silences, especially uncomfortable ones.

Dr. Fleisher gave them a rather sympathetic look. "Neuroblastoma is a cancer that can affect the nervous or endocrine systems of the body. In your daughter's case, the tumor has wrapped around her spinal cord – causing the paralysis of her lower extremities."

"Is it serious?" Monica's voice was barely a whisper, her hand gripping Chandler's like an iron vice.

"From what the scans showed, the tumor looks like it's contained in one area – suggesting that it's in the early stages – but we will need to do a biopsy to confirm," Dr. Fleisher replied, while pushing an image of Serena's back towards Monica and Chandler. She also pointed to an irregular dark mass obscuring part of Serena's spinal cord.

"So how do we deal with this?" Chandler managed – he still felt like someone who had been dunked into the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean.

"We won't be sure until the biopsy is done – but we are probably going to have to operate – to get most of that mass out – and use chemotherapy to shrink the rest." Dr. Fleisher consulted the papers in the folder in front of her.

"Shrink the rest?" Chandler looked baffled, "Couldn't you just get rid of it all?"

Dr. Fleisher shook her head. "There's no way we can remove all of it – it's too close to her spinal cord. It's too risky."

"When's the biopsy going to be done?" Chandler asked.

"As soon as you sign the consent forms," Dr. Fleisher pushed a document and a pen towards Chandler.

Chandler slowly picked up the pen – he felt like he was on autopilot. He paused to look at Monica, who like him – was still shell-shocked by the whole affair. She gave him a weak nod. He glanced briefly at the paper before finally signing at the bottom line.

"Do you guys have any more questions, before I give the okay for the biopsy?" Dr. Fleisher picked up the signed consent form and placed it in her tan coloured folder.

Monica found herself asking the question that Chandler couldn't bring himself to ask, "Could she die?"

Dr. Fleisher gave her a solemn look before replying, "Generally, most children with neuroblastoma have seventy to ninety percent chance of beating it. But it varies from patient to patient. But I will say this, where there's life – there is always hope."

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><p>"Ross, what were you going to say to Chandler before you got interrupted by the kids?" Rachel asked her husband in their bedroom. Emma and Daniel had gone to bed long ago – but the couple could not bring themselves to go to bed.<p>

"What?" Ross turned around to his wife, who was sitting on the king-sized bed.

"About what was wrong with Serena," Rachel reminded him.

"It could've been many things, Rach. Could be some blood problem, damage to the heart caused by the flu virus, it can even be –"

Ross was interrupted again – this time by a notification ringtone from his cell.

"It's probably from Monica and Chandler – go get it!" Rachel coaxed her husband, who was already in the process of reaching for it. Ross turned on his BlackBerry, and surely enough, there was a text.

Ross stared at the message for a long time before whispering dejectedly to his wife, "Or cancer."

"Cancer? Oh my god!" Rachel exclaimed in shock.

"Chandler texted that they are waiting for biopsy results, as of this moment," Ross replied.

"So it might not be cancer?" Rachel grabbed onto a shred of hope.

"No, it is – they are just figuring out what stage it's in," Ross sighed.

"Poor Monica and Chandler – they must be hell right now," Rachel found herself trying to visualize what Monica was going through but couldn't.

She just couldn't.

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><p>Monica and Chandler soon found themselves sitting by their daughter's bedside. Serena looked so small compared to all the machines that she was hooked up to. The biopsy had been completed – Chandler had been kind of expecting that they would actually cut out a part of the tumor but they had used a very large needle instead.<p>

For the most part, they had sat in silence – both too absorbed in their own thoughts about the situation. Serena had fallen asleep shortly after the biopsy was done.

For Chandler, the seriousness of the situation was beginning to sink in after the surreal minutes spent in the oncologist's office. He couldn't believe it. That his one beloved daughter could have cancer. It made absolutely no sense to him. His Serena – his kind-hearted little girl who loved birds. She didn't deserve this. He found the irony particularly cruel, as he had been the one to smoke all the cigarettes in his youth, and not be plagued with any problems – while his daughter had done nothing. He couldn't help wishing that he could trade spots with his daughter.

Monica found herself thinking about the day Serena was born. It was one of the happiest days of her life – after being told many months ago that their chances of conceiving were minimal.

She found herself swimming in the past – a four-year old Serena feeding the pigeons at Central Park, a slightly older Serena being chased by her father around the house, Serena holding her little brother after he had been born with her daddy's help, Serena flying a kite with Emma on a windy spring day and even a flashback of Serena being pushed by her favourite Uncle Joey on the swings. A tear slowly slipped from her eye and onto her cheek.

She then felt Chandler lightly brush away the tear.

"Everything will be okay," Chandler whispered in her ear, trying to comfort his wife and hoping dearly that what he said was the truth, "The doctor said that she has a good chance of beating this monster."

"But this is Serena, it's not fair," Monica found herself crying on her husband's shirt.

"It's never fair. I would trade places with her in a heartbeat, if I could," Chandler looked at Monica sorrowfully.

Monica sobbed out, "I would too. It's just not fair!"

Chandler wrapped his arms around his wife, and they found themselves sharing in each other's pain and misery.

After a while, with all of her tears spent, Monica said hoarsely, "We need to be strong for our daughter. She shouldn't see us like this."

Chandler nodded, wiping at his wet eyes with his shirt sleeve.

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><p>Chandler found himself waking up in a very uncomfortable position, on a chair, while using his daughter's hospital bed as a pillow for his forehead. The bright stream of sunlight coming through the thin curtains made him wince – and he found himself vaguely wondering why he wasn't in his bed.<p>

Hazy memories of last night came into his mind and he remembered the grim reason why he was here, why Monica was beside him, still sleeping in the same uncomfortable position and why his daughter was lying helplessly on the bed.

He was immediately jerked out of his thoughts when he heard his daughter's voice.

"Daddy?"

"Daddy's here, Serena," he replied quietly, not wanting to wake up his still-slumbering wife.

"I am scared," she confided in her father, "I don't know what's happening to me."

Chandler sighed. He debated whether or not to tell his daughter the truth or give her a simplified version. She was twelve. An age old enough to understand what's going on, he reflected.

"Do you remember Uncle Ross talking about cells?" Chandler knew that Ross enjoyed having little conversations with his niece on the matters of science – considering that she was the only one that expressed interest in it.

"Yeah, all living things are made up of them," Serena replied thoughtfully.

"Well, there is something wrong with your cells near your spinal cord," Chandler explained.

"Wrong – as in they are dying?" Serena looked confused.

"No, the opposite – they are growing too fast."

"Too fast?" Serena exclaimed.

"Yeah, and they form something called a tumor, which is wrapped around your spinal cord right now, and making you unable to walk," Chandler told her.

"But why would they grow so fast?" Serena questioned.

"That, honey, you can ask the doctor," Chandler grinned, despite the grave situation. Leave it to his daughter to ask him something he didn't know.

"And the doctor is here," Dr. Fleisher walked through the door, her heels emphasizing every step. She carried a folder under her arm.

"Mon, you should wake up," Chandler nudged his sleeping wife.

"What time is it?" Monica mumbled sleepily.

"Dr. Fleisher is here," Chandler whispered.

Monica woke with a start, in time to hear her daughter ask.

"Dr. Fleisher, why are my cells growing too fast?"

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><p>"So here is everything you wanted us to bring," Rachel lugged a big bag into Serena's hospital room.<p>

"And now, I can finally brush my teeth," Chandler quipped.

"And that really shows the serious scope of the situation," Ross replied sarcastically to his brother-in-law, before sitting down in one of the chairs beside Serena's bed.

"Oh, quit it, you guys," Monica fixed her husband and her brother with her best glare.

Rachel asked, "So what the Dr. Fleisher say about the biopsy?"

Chandler sighed. "She said that the neuroblastoma was Stage Two, and that Serena is at intermediate risk for the cancer spreading."

"What is stage two?" Rachel took the seat next to Ross.

"One distinct tumor that cannot be completely surgically removed," Monica recited from memory – saying it as emotionlessly as possible, hoping that it would hurt less.

"So what are they going to do to her?" Ross inquired.

"She's scheduled for surgery tomorrow – they will remove what they can, and check the surrounding lymph areas or something for cancer." Chandler's voice became graver with every word.

"What about the rest? Chemo?" Ross asked.

"Yeah," Monica looked sadly at her now-sleeping daughter.

"Did you guys call into work at all?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah we did, or rather they called us," Chandler sighed, "I can do my work from the hospital."

"And they gave me a week off, with pay," Monica added, "But I don't know what's going to happen next week."

"So how's Daniel doing?" Chandler changed the topic.

"He misses you guys, but despite that, he's been good." Rachel replied, "He wants to know if Serena is coming home soon."

"Now that is another question that we have no answer to," Chandler placed his hand to his forehead before letting out another sigh.

* * *

><p>"Joey! You didn't have to come!" Monica exclaimed when Joey stepped into Serena's room sometime during the late evening.<p>

"Hey guys. I had to see my favourite goddaughter before her big day tomorrow." Joey replied with utmost seriousness.

Serena, who was supposedly asleep in her bed, stirred at the sound of her Uncle Joey's voice.

"Uncle Joey!" she cried out.

"Serena!" Joey walked towards his goddaughter and sat on the opposite side of the bed that Chandler was sitting on. He gave her a hug.

"They have to cut my tumor out tomorrow," Serena confided to her godfather.

"That sounds scary!" Joey exclaimed softly.

"I know. I am very scared," she whispered.

"But you are a very brave girl. If you can't do it, no one else can," Joey replied encouragingly.

"That's what daddy told me," Serena turned her head around to give her father a small smile. "But I am still terrified."

"Tell you what, I am terrified too," Joey shared.

Serena looked at him in disbelief, "But you aren't going under the knife!"

"And so are your daddy and mommy. We might not be having the operation, Serena, but we worry too," Joey replied with all seriousness.

"I am scared that it's going to hurt," Serena whispered again, a little fearfully.

Chandler rubbed his daughter's shoulders. "Don't worry, they will knock you out before the surgery, you won't feel a thing, honey."

"And the first thing you see when you wake up after the surgery will be your mommy, your daddy and me. We promise." Joey looked at Monica and Chandler.

Monica sighed and walked over to her daughter. She lightly caressed Serena's cheek and handed her two of her favourite stuffed birds – a fluffy eagle and a colourful blue and yellow parrot.

Serena gave her mom a huge smile before hugging her birds tightly to her chest.


End file.
